Ever wondered how many points you need to get into Canada through the Express Entry system? This handy Canada CRS calculator can help you determine how many points you may qualify for.
The Canada Express Entry CRS Points Calculator is a free online tool that lets prospective immigrants assess their eligibility prior to creating an express entry profile or before submitting an application. Use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to calculate your score to find out if you qualify for immigration to Canada under any of the three (3) express entry streams. To learn more about monthly (and bi-weekly draws), see Work Study Visa’s update on latest express entry draws.
Canada Immigration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In Canada, immigrants and refugees are divided into classes. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulation specifies that the Economic Class is consists of the Provincial Nominee Class or also known as the PNP, Federal Skilled Worker Class, Investor Class, Quebec Skilled Worker Class, Self-employed Person’s Class, Entrepreneur Class, and the Canada Experience Class. The CRS calculator let’s you check how many scores you can get for express immigration.
Just recently, there were changes made to the Federal Skilled Worker Class. Now, those who apply under this class will receive a decision within 6-12 months from the time of their application. To know more about how Canada deals with applications under the Economic Class, here are some of the FAQs we answered for you.
What does “Canada Permanent Residency” status mean?
Under the laws of Canada, if you have a Canadian Permanent Resident, you will be allowed to permanently reside in Canada together with your accompanying dependents. Those who have this status can earn a livelihood in three territories within the country or in ten provinces. On top of that, those with permanent resident status can get a primary and secondary education in provincially administered public schools without tuition fees. You will also qualify for free healthcare if you are a permanent resident of Canada.
How can you qualify for a permanent residence under the Economic Class?
The Economic Class is composed of different subclasses, namely the Provincial Nominee Class or also known as the PNP, Federal Skilled Worker Class, Investor Class, Quebec Skilled Worker Class, Self-employed Person’s Class, Entrepreneur Class, and the Canada Experience Class. if you are one of these classes, you may send your application to be reviewed by the immigration department. You will be assessed using six factors that can give you 100 points.
From the date of your application onwards, you have to be employed for at least one year, whether full-time or part-time within a 10-year time frame. Once proven that you are economically established in Canada, and have enough settling funds, you will receive a passing mark, which will allow you to earn permanent resident status. Canada provides for an exemption for those who don’t receive a passing mark. They may be qualified under the positive discretion provisions of the law. Terms and conditions still apply.
How does Canada process applications under the skilled worker class?
Skilled workers are those with enough education, experience with work, language abilities, and age who pass the assessment of Canada under six factors as previously mentioned. They are selected individuals who proved that they are economically established in the country. Applications are assessed using six factors: Education (maximum of 25 points), Language (maximum of 28 points,), Experience (maximum of 15 points), Age (maximum of 12 points), Arranged employment in Canada (maximum of 10 points), and Adaptability (maximum of 10 points), with a total of 100 points.
Before you are assessed using these six essential selection conditions, you have to pass the elimination conditions first. You have to be working for at least 1 year as a full-time employer in 50 major high demand occupation such as in finance, healthcare, and skilled trades, has an arranged employment in Canada, has been legally residing in Canada as a temporary expat who has received full-time employment from the same employer, or enrolled in a Canadian Ph.D. program with at least two years of completed programs or graduated within 12 months before the application.
How long does the application under the skilled worker class take?
The Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism assured in November 2008 that it would only take 6-12 months from the date of the application before the applicants can be granted permanent residence. However, there are still factors under the old regime that are considered–the number of applicants, the time of the year, the immigration program, etc. These factors make the application process between 12 and 40 months, which is according to them enough time to demonstrate how applicants comply with the conditions of establishing a stable life in the country, saving sufficient assets, clean bills of health, and no criminal record history.
Canada Permanent Residency CRS Calculator: Factors and Points
The Canada Permanent Residency CRS Calculator is a useful tool that helps individuals determine their eligibility for Canadian immigration. This calculator is based on 4 main factors: Core/Human capital factors, Spouse or common-law partner factors, Skill transferability factors and Additional points. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors.
#1. The Core/Human capital factors
The Core/Human capital factors are based on the applicant’s age, education, language skills and work experience. You may want to confirm where your career fall in in the Canada NOC code table.
Express Entry Human Capital Factors
| Applicant's Age | Apply with a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 100 points) | Apply without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| 17 years old or less | 0 | 0 |
| 18 years old | 90 | 99 |
| 19 years old | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 29 years old | 100 | 110 |
| 30 years old | 95 | 105 |
| 31 years old | 90 | 99 |
| 32 years old | 85 | 94 |
| 33 years old | 80 | 88 |
| 34 years old | 75 | 83 |
| 35 years old | 70 | 77 |
| 36 years old | 65 | 72 |
| 37 years old | 60 | 66 |
| 38 years old | 55 | 61 |
| 39 years old | 50 | 55 |
| 40 years old | 45 | 50 |
| 41 years old | 35 | 39 |
| 42 years old | 25 | 28 |
| 43 years old | 15 | 17 |
| 44 years old | 5 | 6 |
| 45 years old or more | 0 | 0 |
Express Entry Education Factors
| Level of Education | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 140 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 150 points) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 28 | 30 |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 91 | 98 |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years | 119 | 128 |
| Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic medicine, law, or pharmacy) | 126 | 135 |
| Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D) | 140 | 150 |
Express Entry Language Proficiency for the First Official Language
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 128 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 136 points) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| CLB 10 or more | 32 | 34 |
Express Entry Language Proficiency for the Second Official Language
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 128 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 136 points) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
| CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
| CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
| CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
| CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
| CLB 10 or more | 32 | 34 |
#2. Spouse Factors
The Spouse or common-law partner factors are based on the same criteria as the applicant.
Express Entry Spouse Factors
| Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of education | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 10 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Does not apply) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | n/a |
| Secondary diploma (high school graduation) | 2 | n/a |
| One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 6 | n/a |
| Two-year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 7 | n/a |
| Bachelor’s degree OR a three or more year program at a college, university, technical or trade school, or other institute | 8 | n/a |
| Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One of them must be for a program of 3 or more years | 9 | n/a |
| Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, chiropractic medicine, law, or pharmacy) | 10 | n/a |
| Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D) | 10 | n/a |
| Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability – First official language | With a spouse or common-law partner (Max. 5 points per ability – reading, writing, speaking, listening) | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| CLB 4 or less | 0 | n/a |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | n/a |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | n/a |
| CLB 9 or more | 5 | n/a |
| Spouse’s Canadian work experience | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| None or less than a year | 0 | n/a |
| 1 year | 5 | n/a |
| 2 years | 7 | n/a |
| 3 years | 8 | n/a |
| 4 years | 9 | n/a |
| 5 years or more | 10 | n/a |
#3. Skill Transferability Factors
The Skill transferability factors take into account an applicant’s previous work experience and education.
Express Entry Skill Transferability Factors
| With good official language proficiency (CLB 7 or higher) and a post-secondary degree | Points for CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, with one or more under CLB 9 | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities |
|---|---|---|
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| Secondary school (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 25 | 50 |
| With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience | Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| Secondary school (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work experience with good official language proficiency | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under CLB 9 | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work experience with Canadian work experience | Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience | Points for foreign work experience + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) with good official language proficiency | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7 | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities |
| (Max. 25 points) | (Max. 50 points) | |
| With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
#4. Additional CRS Points
Lastly, the Additional points factor considers an applicant’s ability to invest in Canada, their ties to the country and whether they have a relative who is already a Canadian citizen.
Express Entry Additional Points
| Additional points | Point maximum |
|---|---|
| Sibling living in Canada who is a permanent resident or citizen of Canada | 15 |
| Scored NCLC 7 or higher on all French language skills and scored CLB 4 or lower in English (or didn’t take an English test) | 15 |
| Scored NCLC 7 or higher on all four French language skills and scored CLB 5 or higher on all four English skills | 30 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada – credential of one or two years | 15 |
| Post-secondary education in Canada – credential three years or longer | 30 |
| Arranged employment – NOC 00 | 200 |
| Arranged employment – any other NOC 0, A or B | 50 |
| Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |
Applicants can earn a maximum of 1200 points through these four factors. The CRS calculator tool can be found above.
What is CRS cut off mark?
CRS means Comprehensive Ranking System and this is for CEC or Canadian Experience Class. Quite recently, the CRS cut off mark dropped to 468. The express entry draw of Canada is seeing a downward trend in terms of score requirement and those who were given an invitation to apply with scores of 468 or higher can receive permanent resident status. Use the CRS Calculator to check your express entry score.
Who is included in the application?
When you apply for Canadian Permanent Resident, you are applying as well for the residence of your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner who is at least 16 years old, and unmarried children who are under 19 years old. Those who are older than 19 years old may be considered accompanying family members under certain conditions.
Where can you file the application for permanent residence?
Normally, applications can apply online on Canada Immigration website. Candidates who wish to apply via paper route may submit their documents to specified intake offices as per their location and instructions given by IRCC. Paper applications within Canada through is sent to the Centralized Intake Office – Case Processing Centre located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Once the application gets approved, there will be further processing, this time by an immigration office outside Canada where the applicant legally stays or in the home country of the applicant.
How much do I need to pay for the application?
Applicants are required to pay the non-refundable processing fees. The amount differs on the class and age of the applicant. For those who are applying under the skilled worker class, the non-refundable processing fee is set at $825 CAD for the principal applicant. Fees are also paid for accompanying family members who are 22 years old and above. For those who are under 22 years old, the processing fee is $225 CAD. On top of this, the applicants shall pay a fee of $500 CAD for a Right of Permanent Residence. The non-refundable fees are paid during the application while the Right of Permanent Residence fee is paid upon the request of the visa office. See table below.
| Canada Express Entry Fees | $CAN |
|---|---|
|
Your application Processing fee ($825) and right of permanent residence fee ($500) |
1,325 |
| Your application (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
|
Include your spouse or partner Processing fee ($825) and right of permanent residence fee ($500) |
1,325 |
| Include your spouse or partner (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
| Include a dependent child (amount for each child) | 225 |
Do I need to go to Canada before I apply for permanent residence?
There is no need to go to Canada to qualify for permanent residence. However, your experience with the country’s environment has an impact on your application. If you are applying under the investor or entrepreneur class, you are encouraged to visit Canada and join in information sessions held by provinces.
How to Improve your CRS Score?
Even if you don’t meet the CRS score required for an ITA, there are still things you can do to improve your CRS score and increase your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Here are some suggestions:
- Take a language test and achieve higher scores in either English or French. Language ability is one of the core human capital factors.
- Get more work experience. Work experience is another key human capital factor and can be worth additional CRS points.
- If you have a spouse or common-law partner, make sure they take a language test as well. This can add an additional 40 CRS points to your score.
- If you have a relative who is a Canadian citizen, they can sponsor you for permanent residence. This can add an additional CRS points to your score.
By following these tips, you can improve your CRS score and increase your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
The CRS calculator is a great tool to help you determine your eligibility for Canadian immigration. If you don’t meet the CRS score required for an ITA, there are still things you can do to improve your CRS score and increase your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Use of Provincial Nominee Program is recommended for applicants with low CRS.
